No one seems to have any issue with Riku's replica getting a Keyblade. Good. After everything that he's been through, he deserves some good things. Like not disappearing from existence and instead getting a Keyblade of his own.

Continuing with our countdown, five of the thirteen darknesses are now gone. They are making progress. Meanwhile, the supposed "seven" guardians of light keep adding members. I'm sure that this continues to be frustrating for Master Xehanort and company.

And I have a few more interesting things planned for this chapter and it is a longer one. Hopefully you guys will like what happens.

The plan to keep together and find the rest of their friends didn't last long. The path led them to a four-way intersection. And since they'd come from one direction, that left three other paths. And there wasn't a single indication of which way to go or what they might find in any of the three directions.

They could try staying together. But that risked them choosing the wrong way. And Riku wasn't certain how much time that they could waste. The shadows were already stretching, the afternoon passing towards evening at a faster rate than it should. There was a feeling of urgency that he couldn't quite shake.

"We'll have to split up," he said. "We each pick a direction and hope we can find the others or a way out of the maze."

"There's four of us and only three paths." Sora gestured at the maze. "At least two of us will need to stick together."

Taking a step forward, the replica said, "I told Riku that I'd stay to help him. If no one has a problem with that, I would be happy to watch his back for a little longer."

He glanced over at his replica. It still felt strange. He didn't realize that he'd been that short a couple years ago. Riku hadn't realized how young he'd looked back then. He wasn't really certain how he felt about that. At the time, Riku remembered feeling practically grown up and mature as he faced everything. Now he was forced to face the fact that he, Sora, and Kairi were barely more than children who were tossed into the middle of it. They'd met those challenges head on and come out victorious. And yet Riku couldn't stop thinking about how young his replica looked, standing there dressed in his black coat and wielding a pale Keyblade of his own.

They'd faced impossible situations and paid steep prices in order to save multiple worlds. Hearts were lost, bodies were stolen, and harsh realities were exposed. They'd sacrificed pieces of their childhoods. And none of them really noticed because at fourteen and fifteen, they didn't know how truly young they were. Only looking backwards could Riku see it.

Was that what the king saw the first time he met Riku? A half-grown child who ended up in a situation that he should have been protected from instead? Someone who made mistakes, but who made them partially because he was in over his head and trying his best? Maybe. But Mickey somehow managed to protect and support him without ever making it seem like he didn't respect Riku. He treated him as a friend and an equal despite his age.

None of them were the children that they used to be. They weren't the trio of teenagers who dreamed of sailing on a raft to explore beyond their familiar islands, innocent and ignorant of the deadly scheming of a man who would tear worlds apart to satisfy his curiosity. Circumstances had forced them to grow up and become something different than before. Being Keybearers came with responsibilities and dangers that none of them could ignore.

He couldn't change the past. And he couldn't keep the replica from facing similar challenges and dangers. The most that Riku could do was help keep him close and safe. And maybe when this was over, he would help the replica have a life of his own. Maybe he could have the last few years of childhood that Riku never did.

"I don't mind you coming with me," he said. Glancing at the king and Sora, Riku asked, "Will you two be all right alone?"

Mickey grinned and said, "Don't worry."

"Yeah," said Sora. "We can handle it."

Riku nodded. Then, hesitating briefly, their small group broke apart. Mickey to the left, Riku and replica to the right, and with Sora taking the middle path. He still didn't like it. Being forced to divide felt like they were playing into the Organization's hands. They'd separated the guardians once already. But without any better options, they'd just have to hope for the best.

He turned a corner and Sora found himself running into another large and open chamber. Four figures were locked into combat with each other. Keyblades clanging against each other and magic flew through the air.

"Aqua!" he shouted as he ran out to join them. "Ven!"

The pair called his name back and then they exchanged quick nods. But they couldn't spare more time. Not-Terra and Vanitas didn't even pause their attacks.

Not-Terra seemed content to go after anyone who came within range. Both him and the Guardian. Rather than protect Ansem, the dark and powerful Heartless had apparently decided to safeguard this version of Xehanort. And just like every other encounter with the Guardian, Sora found it an annoying and frustrating barrier between him and his target.

But while Not-Terra seemed fine with targeting any of them equally, Vanitas seemed less concerned about Sora and far more focused on Ventus and Aqua. He almost acted like the battle was personal with them, though it was difficult to tell with his mask. He targeted the two of them whenever possible and was brutal with his attacks.

Eventually Vanitas decided to stop being as up close and precise. The wind pulled and yanked at Sora, like a gathering storm. Then a tight twister of dull Keyblades started swooping through the air, Vanitas riding on top the same way that Sora rode a shinier version earlier. Vanitas kept bringing the formation down to barrel through them, which was very difficult to dodge and too massive to truly block.

But then he tried to be creative. From on top of his spiraling stream of rusty Keyblades, Vanitas fired Blizzard shards. And those were something that Sora could handle. With some clever timing, Sora deflected the frozen chunks back up at him and briefly stunned his opponent.

He didn't wait for Vanitas to recover. He barely waited for the deflected attacks to reach him. Sora was already airstepping up to him using the chunks of ice. He knocked Vanitas completely out of the attack with an air combo, sending him crashing to the ground and the summoned Keyblades flying out of sight.

And Ventus was immediately on him. Fast and agile, Ventus attacked the downed Vanitas. His unique backhand style made his combos unlike anything that Sora had ever seen. He beat back at Vanitas, driving him towards the closest wall with the clear intention of limiting his movements by cornering him.

When Ventus's Keyblade passed straight through the dark figure, an afterimage, his eyes widened in shock. But there was no time for any further reaction. Vanitas crashed down on him, causing a shockwave and knocking Ventus roughly to the ground. Aqua shouted his name when Ventus didn't immediately bounce back to his feet, but both Not-Terra and the Guardian pressed the attack on her and forced Aqua to cartwheel away. She couldn't help him.

Sora, however, could do something about it.

Vanitas tried to turn. Maybe he caught a glimpse or sensed something, but he wasn't quite fast enough. Sora's Keyblade connected with the front of Vanitas's mask, earning a grunt of pain, a cracking sound that Sora felt on impact, and the satisfying result of Vanitas sliding back several feet. And before he could recover, Sora cast Thundaga.

The bright flash of lightning gave way to a column of darkness nearly identical to the previous instances. And when the spewing shadows faded, Vanitas remained standing with his mask cracked along the right side. As Aqua continued to throw spell after spell at Not-Terra at the other side of the chamber, Sora watched the damaged portion of the mask crumble away. And then he gaped in absolute shock at the familiar sight gradually exposed.

"Your face…," he whispered, stunned.

It was like looking in a mirror. Different hair and eye colors, but Vanitas shared his face. People always claimed that Roxas resembled him somewhat, but that always seemed more like the resemblance of a sibling. But Vanitas was identical other than his black hair and yellow eyes. Meeting his gaze made something in Sora's chest ache in a new way.

Was this how Ventus and Roxas felt when they first saw each other?

Gesturing towards his chest, Vanitas said quietly, "I'm the piece of Ventus that was taken away." His hand left his chest to gesture towards Sora. "And you're the piece Ventus needed to be whole again. So… why shouldn't you and I look exactly the same?" He gestured towards his chest again this time with both hands. "You define me, Sora, the same way that Ventus does. We are brothers who, together, make a greater whole."

"Then why won't you stand by our side?" asked Sora. "Instead of with darkness?"

"Because I am darkness. And I do stand by your side. I'm the shadow that you cast. How much closer could I be?"

Growing unexpectantly frustrated and angrier about the situation than seemed reasonable, he said, "But I did—"

"But I didn't ask for this," interrupted Ventus, holding out his hand to halt Sora. "To be shifted apart, nice and neat. We should be free to choose. Not just light," he said, touching his chest before pointing towards Vanitas, "not just darkness. We decide what we are."

It wasn't fair. It was wrong and not fair. He wanted to grab his doppelganger and shake him.

Still calm, Vanitas said, "But… Ventus, I did decide who I am. You see?"

"And what you are is darkness?" he asked sharply.

They stared quietly for a moment at each other. Something in Sora rebelled strongly at the entire conversation. At the entire situation. The feelings of injustice and frustration washed over him in waves. It left him angry and he couldn't seem to push it down. He didn't know why this was hitting him so hard. The entire thing felt wrong in a way that he couldn't explain.

Maybe it was because he was staring at his own face as the shadowy fragments flaked off. Maybe that was why it felt so personal. He didn't like Master Xehanort using people like this, but it just seemed to hit harder when Sora saw his own face. He barely knew Vanitas and yet he couldn't help thinking that he deserved better than this fate.

"What I am is darkness," said Vanitas, as if that was all that he could possibly be.

Taking a small step forward, Sora asked, "But do you have to only be the worst parts of darkness?"

"What?" he asked, looking startled by the question.

"Darkness can be dangerous, but it isn't the same thing as being evil. It doesn't have to hurt and destroy. We're meant to have some darkness in us, just like we're supposed to have some light. That anger and rage can be used for good. It can be used to protect others, to guard the light, and to give you the drive to face challenges. I've seen it. Riku embraces his darkness to fight alongside us and Axel can travel through dark corridors. They use darkness, but they do it to help their friends." Sora took another step forward, his hand clutched tightly to his chest as his heart ached. "Just because it is easy for darkness to corrupt someone… and just because it can overwhelm and consume them… It doesn't mean something good can't come out of it. If you don't let it control you, it doesn't have to be a force of destruction and suffering. If you're our shadow, then you belong with us. Shadows can't exist without the presence of light." He pulled his hand away from his chest, extending it in Vanitas's direction. "If you're darkness, that doesn't mean you can't choose what kind of darkness that you want to be."

"Sora," said Ventus gently, "it doesn't matter what we say to him. He's returning to the past and won't remember any of this. We can't change anything for him."

He knew that Ventus was right. That was how the time travel worked. And yet part of Sora felt like his words made a difference. The frustrated fury and hurt in his chest had eased and a feeling of calm acceptance had settled back over him. He felt like what he'd said had affected things the smallest amount and that he was truly heard.

And Sora knew to listen to his heart.

Vanitas stopped staring at him with an odd expression, instead choosing to lean back his head and grin. Darkness poured out of him, swallowing the figure from sight. When the darkness faded away, he was gone. The heart had returned to the past. Doomed to follow the same path towards his destruction in complete ignorance of his final fate.

Sora couldn't ignore how unfair it felt to know that.

A loud crash yanked Sora and Ventus's attention back to the ongoing duel between Aqua and Not-Terra. No matter the lingering emotions that conversation with Vanitas caused, there was no time to dwell on it. The Keyblade War wouldn't stop for them.

After watching the shadows grow long as they wandered along the relatively narrow and twisting pathway of the maze, Lea was caught a little off guard when the stone walls suddenly gave way to a large and open chamber. He knew what it was meant to be. Master Xehanort wanted a Keyblade War. And in order to have a war, he would need a battlefield to contain the fighting. He should have expected the maze to eventually open into something wider.

He'd known that he would be facing familiar faces. Lea even thought he'd prepared himself for it. The two waiting figures dressed in black coats weren't really that surprising, especially when he'd already seen them with their hoods up earlier. This part was something that he fully expected. But despite everything, his heart ached sharply when he saw Saïx holding Lunatic, his eyes glowing yellow from his Berserk state.

The uncomfortable wave of guilt at the sight of Vexen and remembering how coldly he'd destroyed the Nobody didn't help either.

Not coldly, temperature-wise. He'd literally burned Vexen from the inside-out, even showing off by not bothering to channel that power through his weapons like normal. It had honestly been an absolutely brutal way to go. And judging by the expression on the Nobody's face, Vexen wasn't exactly pleased to see Lea either.

Yeah, this wasn't shaping up to be good at all.

But as unpleasant as it was to dwell on Vexen and his crimes again him, it was easier than looking at Saïx. Especially in his current unnerving state. Lea always hated how his Berserk form affected him. The sight brought back painful memories.

It was certainly useful during a fight. It left him stronger, faster, and more aggressive. Rather reminiscent of a feral animal. He was more dangerous in that state in almost every way. It was a powerful tool in battle.

But Saïx barely recognized friend from foe when he fought. And his memories of his time in that form were always fragmented, hazy, and indistinct at best. Most of the time he barely remembered anything at all.

Lea hated seeing Saïx in his Berserk state in the past. But after his attempt to kidnap-rescue Kairi from the castle in the World That Never Was ended with Lunatic buried deeply into his side, Lea despised what it did to him even more. He hated what Saïx became when he activated that ability.

His mind and body bound to the power of the moon. The loss of control and his consciousness held hostage. Rather like how the moon commanded the tides, the influence overwhelmingly powerful and undeniable. The effect was worse at night and during the full moon, but that didn't mean that daylight would spare them.

No matter what fragments of friendship that might still exist between them, it didn't matter. Not in that state. Lea had the scar to prove it. Saïx might not even recognize him anymore.

Saïx moved forward a few steps, dragging his claymore along the ground behind him. His body behaved unnaturally. Like he was being yanked along by strings. Like Saïx was a full-size marionette. Or like he was one of the lesser Nobodies, a Berserker being pulled along by its own weapon. An empty shell that only looked like his friend. The awkward movements, the glowing eyes, the empty expression, and the way the thin scars across his face had stretched to the point of nearly splitting open all combined together until he was barely recognizable.

"Isa… What did they do to you?" asked Lea softly.

Her voice quiet even as she edged closer to Roxas, Xion said, "Someone is making him act like that."

"You sure? That's what he does in a fight sometimes. He might be doing this himself," said Roxas.

"I know another puppet when I see one. And right now, he's not really in control."

Roxas moved closer to her, their shoulders almost touching. Meanwhile, Kairi reached over and touched Lea's arm briefly in a gesture of reassurance. None of them were comfortable with what was about to happen.

Taking a deep breath, Lea said, "Isa, look at me. You don't have to do this. We're here to take you home. And I'm not leaving without you. But I really don't want to fight you."

"You're wasting your time, Axel," said Vexen with the familiar bite of condescension. "You already know that his current state has an established negative effect on his mental faculties. And at the moment, 'want' is not a luxury that either of us are allowed."

"Would it help if I said I'm sorry about what I did to you at Castle Oblivion, Vexen?" he asked. Lea spread his arms. "And come on, you don't want to fight me either. I heard you were trying to even help us out earlier. You sent the replicas and Ansem the Wise to Radiant Garden, right?"

"Whatever grudge that I might hold against you for my initial and painful destruction only adds to my current desire to drive an icicle through your chest. But it is not the source of that impulse. Master Xehanort has ensured that neither of us are capable of any further form of rebellion. Self-preservation, guilt, and any other loyalties have been currently cast aside. All that we are capable of wanting is what he wants. And what he wants is for us to clash with the seven guardians of light."

Vexen raised his shield. There was a gleam in his eyes that gave Lea far too many uncomfortable memories. The brilliant mind combined with dark and dangerous impulses could be a terrifying combination if caught on the wrong side of it.

"Though there is also a strong desire to remove some of the excess members permanently and I suppose my own grudge makes the idea seem appealing, yes. And admittedly, with the darkness of his heart and anything resembling restraint buried, it is hard to deny my scientific curiosity to see how far I can push any of you before your hearts are lost. I already collected data on Lea's limits from previous experiments years ago," he said, ignoring how it made the young man flinch, "but what about a heart of pure light? Or those housed in my latest versions of replicas? I never did get to properly test them."

"And… Vexen has gone full mad scientist," muttered Lea, summoning his Keyblade and balancing it on his shoulder. "Great. Between him and Isa being in his Berserk state, none of this is going to be fun."

"Think we can handle them?" asked Kairi.

Shaking his head, Lea said, "One is my oldest friend and the other is the guy I already murdered once. This whole thing is just icky all around. And I doubt that either of them will go down easy, even if Vexen isn't the strongest opponent usually."

Marching forward, Roxas said, "It's all right, Axel. We can handle this part instead."

"If we beat them," said Xion carefully, "they'll be recompleted. Just like you were. It's the best way to help them right now."

"And don't worry. I beat Saïx on my own before and I wouldn't mind doing it again." Roxas summoned his Keyblades. "You don't have to fight these two, Axel."

"Then perhaps I should reduce the variables," said Vexen.

And with that ominous statement, Vexen slammed his shield to the ground and ice formed in a thick line racing towards them. Sharp icicles stabbed up violently, forcing them to dive out of the way or get skewered. And Lea had been stabbed enough recently. But the forming ice didn't stop. It thickened and the icicles merged together until they formed a thick wall. The barrier rose up within seconds. As tall, thick, and sturdy as the stone walls of the maze.

Then Lea realized with dawning horror that Roxas and Xion were on the other side of the newly formed ice wall. Vexen had split the battlefield in half and kept the two half-pints on the other side.

"No," he snarled, spinning his Keyblade to slam it against the wall in a quick explosion of flames.

But if it did anything to melt the ice, it wasn't enough to notice. Unless he wanted to put a lot more energy into his fire, he wasn't burning through. And Lea couldn't risk exhausting himself trying. The logical decision would be to wait and find another way to reach them.

And yet Lea couldn't bury the panicking feeling as he struck the wall with another fiery attack.

"Roxas! Xion!"

"Axel, move!"

Kairi's shout yanked him out of his mounting panic, Lea instinctively flinging himself to the side just as the blue blade stabbed into the ice where he was just standing. He scrambled further away as Kairi grabbed his arm and pulled at him. The pair continued to back away as Saïx yanked his claymore out of the wall and turned back toward them.

"Isa, please don't make me do this," he said, fingers tightening on his Keyblade. "I really don't want to fight you."

He would. He would do it. It was the only way. He'd fought his friends before and knew that he could go through with it. But as hard as it was even back then, it was easier to fight his friends without his heart. Now he could only imagine how much it would hurt.

Her voice a little unsteady, Kairi said, "I don't think he's listening."

He knew that she was right. Saïx hadn't reacted to his words. He stared at them with glowing yellow eyes, twisting his weapon around for a better grip to attack. Lea saw his posture shifting, preparing for a proper battle between them. Because this was never going to end differently.

"I'm sorry," said Lea quietly.

Then he twisted, dodging the strike that he'd seen coming. Lea moved as Saïx swung rapidly. The Nobody left a trail of bright blue energy in his wake. Not actual fire, but close enough in appearance and threat level to be worth avoiding. Lea couldn't seem to get enough distance. The claymore kept barely missing.

"Light!"

Several orbs of light shot out of Kairi's Keyblade. Saïx stumbled to the side from the impact, finally letting Lea get some breathing room. He definitely needed to maintain some distance between him and Saïx. Letting him get too close and then making the mistake of taking his eyes off his opponent for a moment was how he'd nearly been cut in half. While that didn't immediately kill Axel, Nobodies tending to be a bit more durable, a very human Lea wouldn't survive a wound like that. And he'd had enough near-death experiences recently. He needed to avoid that.

Not to mention that if he died, Kairi would probably find a way to yank him back to life with her Princess of Heart powers just so she could kill him again.

Focus. He needed to focus.

He needed to deal with Saïx first. He and Kairi would fight Saïx until they could defeat or at least disable the threat. Then he could find a way back to Roxas and Xion. As soon as he stopped the Nobody, he could make sure the half-pints were safe.

He wouldn't lose them again. They wouldn't disappear. They would be safe.

After her magical attack, Kairi had apparently become Saïx's main target. She dodged and dove as the Nobody repeatedly slammed his claymore. And when Saïx got too close, she sent a Fira directly towards his face.

Lea threw his Keyblade, burning and spinning before slamming into Saïx's chest and returning to his hand. Another throw, but Saïx deflected it with his claymore. Then the Nobody was closing in again.

"Axel!" shouted Roxas, slamming both Keyblades against the towering wall.

They weren't supposed to leave him. They were supposed to stay with Lea and keep him safe. What if he was hurt again? What if they found him on the ground again, bleeding or dissolving away into nothingness? What if Saïx completely destroyed him? They couldn't protect him. They needed to get back.

"Roxas," said Xion, causing him to spin around.

She was staring nervously at Vexen, Keyblade held in front of her. They couldn't forget about him. Just because Lea was facing Saïx without them didn't mean they could ignore the obvious threat. Neither of them really knew Vexen or what he was capable of since he'd been destroyed early on, but they wouldn't underestimate him.

"No. i." Vexen's voice was cold, but very intrigued. "I had such high hopes concerning your potential. You were my most promising model of the Replica Program at the time. But thanks to Axel turning against me, I was denied the opportunity to see a demonstration of that potential in a practical setting. A little experimentation is certainly in order."

Stepping forward and glaring, Roxas snapped, "Her name is Xion."

The three of them against Not-Terra and the Guardian wasn't exactly easy. No longer dealing with Vanitas improved the situation, but he was still a powerful opponent. Fast and vicious. He would break out ferocious multi-hit combos, launch several dark projectiles at them, or would rely on his Heartless defender. The Guardian might burst out of the ground to attack or slam down to generate dark spikes before disappearing from sight once more.

But at least they were making better progress than before. One of them could deflect and distract the Guardian while the other two focused on whittling down Not-Terra's strength.

The Guardian was a unique type of Heartless that Sora had never encountered anywhere else except protecting Xehanort's Heartless. With its grey-black, muscular, humanoid body, a pair of long and crooked antennae emerging from the top of its head, its glowing yellow eyes, and its sharp teeth, the creature looked like an intimidating and powerful opponent. Which was completely accurate. There were bandages that crossed at different places across its head, its neck, its upper back, and its chest just above the heart-shaped hole in its lower torso. And its shadowy tail often seemed to connect into the shadow created at Not-Terra's feet, giving the impression that it was his shadow. Just as it used to do the same thing with Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness.

Yes, Sora knew this Heartless quite well. He'd been fighting it off and on since he was fourteen.

Sora found himself being the distraction for the Guardian the most out of the three of them. Ventus and Aqua focused on Not-Terra. Possessing their friend made it personal for them and he was willing to let them take the lead.

Aqua threw a Blizzaga at him to slow and stun him. Then she followed up by firing a salvo of rainbow-colored orbs, a shotlock called Prism Rain. And with that final attack, something gave way and darkness spewed up in a thick column. When it faded, the figure in the center collapsed limply to the ground. They waited a moment to make certain it wasn't a trap. But when he didn't move, Ventus and Aqua ran towards him.

"Terra," they shouted in unison.

They dropped down beside him and carefully pulled him into a slumped kneeling position. Both of them leaned in close, their faces wearing mirrored looks of concern.

"Aqua…," he gasped out, his voice completely different than before. "Ven…"

Terra. That was Terra's voice. The real one. Sora could feel it.

Quiet and pleading, Aqua said, "Terra, please…"

He was making small, pained, and struggling sounds. Terra was fighting back. Trying to reach them.

"Come back," begged Ventus. "Terra."

Terra clutched his head. Eyes clenched closed and gasping desperately, he was struggling against some intangible force within him. The darkness inside him or one of Xehanort's hearts. There might not be any real difference between the two. Ventus and Aqua let go of him, but remained close.

"Terra," called Sora. "Your friends are here!"

He didn't seem to hear the words, too wrapped up in the internal fight. Gasping and clutching his head. Struggling to hold on.

Then he threw back his head and screamed. Dark chains materialized and wrapped around Ventus and Aqua, yanking them away from him. Darkness pooled under Terra as more chains emerged from it. Another chain coiled around Sora, pinning his arms to his sides and jerking him back as well. He could already feel bruises forming. The chains pulled the three of them up. Suspending them in the air. They were left dangling there, the bindings tightly wound around their chests and arms.

He heard Ventus and Aqua calling Terra's name as he staggered below them, clutching his head. Glowing dark power pooled at his feet and radiated out.

Groaning as he struggled against the painful pressure, Sora shouted, "You have to fight the darkness!"

Terra suddenly stopped staggering. He straightened and slowly pulled his hand away from his face. And the expression had shifted drastically within a handful of moments. Whoever it was staring out of those eyes, it wasn't Terra. He was gone again.

"You'll never be able to break these chains," said Not-Terra firmly. "They're our bonds."

He stretched out a hand and the chains holding Ventus and Aqua started thrashing. Whipping them wildly around. They were yanked sharply in every direction, matching Not-Terra's hand gestures. Sharp and rough hand motions to match the brutal movements of the pair through the air.

Not-Terra shouted, "You have no power over me!"

He laughed mockingly as he thrashed them about like a toddler flinging his toys in a tantrum. But unlike a child with his teddy bear, there would be consequences for the victims. The forces involved were deadly. Perfect for snapping someone's neck. Sora struggled against his own bonds, panicking over what was happening to them.

"Stop, Terra," shouted Sora desperately, shaking his head. "Please, stop it!"

The violent thrashing finally stopped, through he was under no illusions that his words did any good. The chains gradually raised the two limp and barely conscious figures slowly higher. They looked dead, but Sora knew they weren't not yet. The strength that Ventus had been sharing with him had slowed to a trickle, but it was still there. The chains raised them even further. Higher and higher.

Cold and firm, Not-Terra said, "Farewell."

"No," shouted Sora desperately as they came to a stop, dangling impossibly high over the battlefield.

Not-Terra smirked, hand still raised. Ventus was barely conscious, but he managed to speak. Quiet and fragile words that Sora barely heard, carried to him by the wind.

"Terra… I kept my promise…"

The chains around the two of them went limp, letting gravity take over. Ventus and Aqua fell and—

A dark shape erupted into view. The Guardian. Racing forward. The Heartless reached them, carefully catching Ventus and Aqua in its arms. It flew above the battlefield while gently transferring them into one arm, gripping the chain in the other hand. The Guardian stared back at Not-Terra with burning yellow eyes.

Not-Terra gasped in surprise, looking between the now-missing dark pool below him and the Guardian. Like he couldn't comprehend what was happening. As if he couldn't understand why the Heartless was rebelling. Why it was no longer floating loyally at his side, the obedient guard dog that it had always seemed like. Not-Terra could only stare and grit his teeth.

Still glaring at Not-Terra, the Guardian crushed the chain in its hand to free Ventus and Aqua. The chains shattered, quickly followed by the ones holding Sora. He dropped to the ground with practiced grace. His arms and chest were sore from the bindings, but nothing that a Cure spell wouldn't fix. Then he watched the Guardian gently set Ventus and Aqua down. It stared at them in a way that could only be described as almost caringly.

Heartless didn't act like that. And Sora knew that when Heartless acted unusual, that meant he should pay attention.

"How?" shouted Not-Terra in stunned fury, causing the Guardian to look back up at him. He shifted to a more combative stance. "You fell to the dark—"

His words were cut off by the Guardian materializing behind him, grabbing his head in a way that covered his mouth. Then the Guardian lifted him bodily from the ground. Not-Terra struggled at its grip as the Heartless fumbled with its other hand, clawing at the bandages that crossed its mouth. A couple tries and it managed to tear them free.

No longer permanently muzzled, the Guardian coughed and gasped a few times. Then it sighed, relaxing with its new freedom.

Then the Heartless spoke.

Slow, quiet, and breathing hard, it rasped, "One day… I… will… set… this… right…" The Guardian held Not-Terra out at arm's length, forcing him to look it in the face. Sounding a little stronger and more certain with each word, the Guardian said, "One day… I will set… this right…"

The voice, the strange behavior… Sora didn't know for certain, but he had his suspicions. Heartless collect and claim hearts. He knew that. But it looked like one of those hearts regained the will to be something more than an instinctive and aggressive creature. A powerful will reunited with a heart for a single purpose. Sora couldn't prove it, but his heart knew who was speaking.

Firm and determined as Not-Terra wiggled in his grip, the Guardian said, "I will return to this land…" Not-Terra suddenly stilled, as if recognizing the Heartless for the first time. "And protect… my friends!"

Something bright shone within the Guardian. Terra's heart. Sora summoned his Keyblade, aiming towards the stolen body. Technically this wasn't something that he'd ever been taught to do, but he'd always been good at instinctively knowing these things.

"Terra! Now!" he shouted.

A beam of light shot out, hitting Not-Terra in the back and driving a startled gasp out of him. Terra's heart abandoned the Guardian as an orb of light. The Heartless dissolved into darkness as Terra's heart flew towards his own body. Just as all the hearts of his lost friends returned to their bodies when Sora chased the Lich across worlds to retrieve them. Hearts always want to return home. And between Terra's heart and the beam of light from Sora's Keyblade, the combined powers drove Xehanort's heart out. The remaining darkness spewed out and Terra landed on his feet.

Terra. No one else. Brown hair and clear blue eyes, without a single trace of the previous possession.

Terra looked down at his hands in shock, flexing them a few times. As if he couldn't believe that he was himself again. Then he looked up suddenly and ran to the prone Aqua and Ventus.

"Aqua!" he called. "Ven!"

Aqua started sitting up as Terra reached them. Her expression remained a little wary as he carefully pulled Ventus into his arms.

Cautiously hopeful, she asked, "Terra… Is it you?"

She leaned over closer, searching his expression for something. Searching for something that only she knew and would recognize it. He looked up at Aqua and smiled.

"Yeah," he said, quiet and thankful. "You never stopped lighting my way back."

Sora kept back to give the trio some time for their reunion, but he could see tears forming in Aqua's eyes as she smiled. She quietly cried happy tears as she stared at their long-lost friend. Restored to himself after over a decade. And when Ventus groaned softly, Aqua and Terra looked down at the smaller figure in the young man's arms.

Looking up at Terra with an awed smile, Ventus said, "You're here…"

"I heard you too, Ven," he said, his own tears forming. As Ventus sat up, Terra said, "You found me, just like you promised."

Then he pulled Aqua and Ventus closer. He held them in a tight group hug, the three of them sitting on the ground. They embraced for the first time in over a decade. Sora watched them with a smile, practically feeling the joy and relief radiating off the three of them. They were crying softly, too happy and tired to move now that they were back together.

"Thank you," whispered Terra, holding them protectively close.

Speaking gently, Sora said, "Aqua and Ventus need rest." The trio of Keyblade wielders slowly looked up at him. "Terra, look after them."

They all needed to rest. Even Terra. He still looked a little unsteady from his return to his true body. Between that and how much the other two were flung around, a chance to recuperate a little would be good for them. Sora started to leave even as Ventus climbed clumsily to his feet.

"No, Sora. I'm going too," he called as he tried to follow.

Ventus didn't make it too far before he stumbled, still battered and exhausted from being tossed around like that. Sora stopped and turned to face him. Aqua and Terra reached towards Ventus worriedly, though they were too far to touch him or help. Not unless they wanted to stand up and move closer.

"That's what he wants," said Sora. "For us to make a mistake. Put ourselves in danger."

Then Sora stepped a little closer, his hand drifting up to his chest. Now that Ventus was recovering from being tossed around, his shared strength had returned to Sora. Not as strong as before, but still there. Ventus, Roxas, and Xion. All three keeping him together. But Sora could feel that support weakening slowly. They only had a finite amount of strength. It wouldn't last forever. But they were trying to buy him more time.

Keeping his voice low so that the others didn't overhear, Sora said, "And besides, you're already helping me. You know that, Ven."

"But it isn't enough," he said, quiet and regretful. "What we're doing? It isn't enough. It won't last."

"It'll last long enough for us to finish this."

He smiled at Ventus. Calm, comforting, and reassuringly. Being upset about what they couldn't change wouldn't help him and would only waste what little time that he had left. Besides, saving his friends was worth the cost. He went into it with his eyes open and his mind clear. He wasn't tricked and he didn't regret his decision. If it kept them safe, then Sora was fine.

"Sora, go," said Aqua reassuringly, still crouched beside Terra. "We'll catch up with you."

Terra nodded in agreement, one arm resting on her shoulder and the other still half-raised to reach towards Ventus. As if he still needed the reassurance of physical contact to be certain that this was real.

Grinning, Sora said, "Right. I've got this."

Then he turned and disappeared back into the maze. He wasn't done yet.

Sora might have looked like he was alone as he ran along the twisting pathways of the stone maze. He might have even believed that he was. But it had been a long time since he was ever truly alone. There were too many connections to his heart. And he'd spent too long as both a refuge and a prison, containing those with nowhere else to go.

Even after the others had left, something still remained.

With the exception of the Seven Princesses of Heart and Ventus due to purely artificial means, all hearts contained some darkness naturally. Some people were filled with darkness, presenting tempting targets for the Heartless if those people weren't actively controlling them. But others, like Sora, only held the tiniest amounts of darkness in their hearts. Barely enough for the smallest Shadow. He was just too bright for anything more.

Sora's bright and open heart. A haven for the lost, the broken, and the ones in need of protection. Plenty of other hearts found sanctuary within his light. Both Ansem the Wise and Ienzo scanned the light in his heart to find the others. Roxas, Xion, and Ventus were nestled in that light until they were retrieved. Even Kairi briefly dwelled there, though she'd left years ago.

No one ever searched the shadows of Sora's heart for anyone imprisoned there.

To be fair, it was only recently that there was anything resembling a heart tucked into the small shadows. Before that, no one would have recognized the jagged pieces for what they were. Only broken fragments that were dragged in with Ventus's damaged heart over a decade ago, like how someone might track in dirt on their shoes and leave it scattered on the carpet. Sora invited Ventus into his heart, to heal and recover in his light. The shattered remnants of a darker heart found shelter in the faint shadows, unnoticed and weak.

He didn't heal quickly. He wasn't like his other half. The light couldn't help him, too harsh and intense to bear. He needed darkness to repair the damage and there was barely any that he could use. He could only hide in the small shadows, hurting in his broken state. Because being shattered and incomplete hurt.

He was less than a ghost. He barely had any awareness for years. No real memories, thoughts, or sense of self. Only whatever dreams that trickled down from Sora. Pieces of the boy's life. Dreams of running on a beach in the sunshine, of swimming in the ocean, of laughing with a red-haired girl, of playfully sparring with a silver-haired boy, of smiling and relaxing, and of loving parents taking care of the boy. He dreamed of family, friendship, and home.

He didn't know it then, still too broken and fragile to know anything beyond the pain and those pleasant dreams. And he certainly preferred the dreams to the pain. But those dreams? He didn't know it, but those dreams of Sora's life were glimpses of all the things that he'd never had before. All the things that he was denied and no longer remembered being denied.

Couldn't risk any light forming in Master Xehanort's perfect pure darkness, after all.

He rested in the faint shadows of Sora's heart, dull and barely sentient in his damaged state. He was trapped, but safe and protected. But any healing was impossibly slow.

Until Hollow Bastion. Until the Keyblade of Hearts stabbed into Sora's chest. Until the darkness flooded in and left a Heartless where the boy should have been. Suddenly there was enough darkness present for the shattered fragments to start knitting back together.

He regained a sense of awareness. But he wasn't completely himself again. Not yet. He was more like a wild animal rather than anything truly intelligent or rational. An angry, aggressive, and dangerous animal that reacted like one. Calmed and soothed by familiar and pleasant dreams that trickled down from Sora. And lashing out in response to threats to himself, to the boy, or to anything that belonged to him.

Maybe friendship, caring, or empathy were traits associated with light, but aggressive possessiveness? That was something that could easily come from darkness.

Sometimes when Sora was in danger, he leaked through. His power and his aggressiveness. A dark and vicious form that clawed at enemies and scrambled on all fours. As animalistic as him. It never lasted long, but he could drive away the threats to Sora, to the boy's friends, and anything else that belonged to the boy or him.

It made Sora, Donald, and Goofy uneasy the first few times it happened, but they eventually accepted that it didn't seem to hurt him. They called it Anti-Form, assuming it was connected to Sora's brief time as a Heartless combined with the ability to use Limit Forms. And as long as it didn't seem to harm Sora and it could even be useful, they were willing to let it go. They didn't poke around and find out about him.

He didn't completely reclaim his sense of self and his previous memories until Master Xehanort's attempt to claim Sora as a vessel. They plunged the boy's heart into the deepest darkness. Dangerous for Sora, but comforting and invigorating for him. Even after Riku pulled Sora back out, he'd healed enough to know the truth.

Vanitas remembered who he was, what his purpose was, and how Master Xehanort forged him to fulfill that specific role.

And if that had been all that he remembered, only his existence from the moment Master Xehanort tore the darkness from Ventus's heart to give it a separate identity until that existence ended with his heart shattered to pieces, Vanitas might have gone back to how things used to be. He might have remained loyal to the old man. Forging the χ-blade would have remained his only purpose. With only those memories, Vanitas might have continued as before.

But he'd already grown and adapted by the time those memories returned. Those memories were no longer the only ones. They weren't the main forces shaping him. Almost twelve years immersed in Sora's life through those dreams, seeing what it was like to have a family, friends, and people who cared… Seeing how a proper teacher or master should treat someone… It left an impression. They were all things that he'd never had or experienced before. Things that he'd been convinced were unnecessary and signs of weakness. But after he spent so long in Sora's heart, Vanitas had repeatedly witnessed the undeniable power that came from friendship. He'd have to be blind to miss it.

Sora was everything that he'd once believed to be weak, useless, and foolish. But Sora had proven that all those things were what made him strong. And that they were things worth fighting for.

Vanitas remembered a life completely different than his own existence. And with that new insight, he understood. He understood how Master Xehanort used him. How the old man manipulated, mistreated, and betrayed him with every action. He understood because he could see how things could have been instead.

And because of those glimpses of Sora's life through those dreams, Vanitas learned to want more. He wanted to be more than a tool for Master Xehanort's plan. He wanted to be more than part of the χ-blade. Greed came naturally to darkness and Vanitas wanted more.

Anger and fury also came easily to darkness. And Vanitas quickly discovered how much rage and hatred he could direct towards Master Xehanort. He wanted revenge. Trapped and imprisoned in the shadows of Sora, Vanitas wanted to make Master Xehanort suffer for what he'd put him through.

And thankfully, the boy was determined to face the old man and the real Organization XIII.

He still protected Sora, wrapping the boy in darkness and power when he was hurt. But the change wasn't as wild or animalistic. Not after Vanitas regained himself. The boy had more control when it came to calling on that power and the change left him upright and wielding a weapon. Rage Form. Vanitas kept Sora safe and alive as he drew ever closer to the showdown against Master Xehanort and the others.

Besides, after so many years, he refused to surrender the boy. Vanitas wasn't a fool. He knew it wasn't caring or concern; he was merely possessive. Sora was his vessel.

It did feel strange to see himself confronting Sora. But it wasn't really himself. It was himself from the past. The version of Vanitas that still remained loyal to Master Xehanort. The version who couldn't understand how to be anything more than what the old man made him. A tool. A weapon. Pure darkness and an essential piece of the χ-blade.

And perhaps his past self wouldn't listen or remember Sora's words, but Vanitas heard them deep within the boy's heart. He listened to what Sora said. And he knew the boy well enough to know that Sora honestly wanted to help. Vanitas might have been dragged into the shadows of his heart, but Sora would have probably invited him like he did Ventus if he'd known. A strange thought that Vanitas didn't know how to handle.

As Sora ran deeper into the maze, Vanitas contemplated the boy's words. The ones that he'd offered the past version of Vanitas. The words that he shared with his opponent in an attempt to help.

He was darkness. Vanitas accepted that. But what kind of darkness did he want to be? And was he only darkness? Maybe once, but he wasn't the same as he was before his heart shattered and the fragments were imprisoned in Sora.

Vanitas pushed the questions aside. Those answers could wait. Master Xehanort's plan was still proceeding forward and they were running out of time. Sora's heart was cracked and barely holding together. On the verge of breaking apart. They needed to hurry. Vanitas contained too much hatred, rage, and spite to accept the old man succeeding. The χ-blade could not be forged. Master Xehanort could not win.

And that meant that Sora couldn't fall. Not yet. Vanitas wouldn't accept it. The old man would pay for everything that he'd done to Vanitas and everything that the man denied him in order to create his pure darkness. Sora couldn't disappear until after that. If Vanitas couldn't personally assault Master Xehanort, then he needed Sora to destroy every piece of the old man's legacy.

Strength from Ventus, Roxas, and Xion bound the bright parts of Sora's heart together, holding the deep cracks in place. Vanitas watched carefully. Gauging the progress of the damage and their waning power. Part of him wondered if he should do something else. But Vanitas knew that it wouldn't buy them much extra time and he didn't want to waste his strength.

Besides, Vanitas's heart was healed. Completely. He should be pleased about what was happening.

The boy and the old man would soon clash. He knew that. And whether he won or lost, Sora wouldn't survive much longer. He wouldn't die. At least, not the normal way. He would simply come apart. And there was a chance that Vanitas's heart would be freed in the process and he would be able to form a new body out of darkness and negative emotions.

If it worked, Vanitas wouldn't be clinging to the dreams and memories of another. He would have his own existence again. He could have anything that he wanted and would have no obligations to anyone. No orders and no destined role. He wouldn't need Ventus, Sora, or the boy's friends. Vanitas wouldn't need any of them.

So why did the thought of leaving cause an aching feeling? Perhaps he wasn't completely healed after all. Or maybe he just didn't like the idea of surrendering something that was his. That must be it. He didn't want to give up Sora, the boy's friends and family, and all those pleasant dreams of a wonderful life because Vanitas was possessive, greedy, and selfish. Even if Vanitas could never truly have those things for himself, he didn't want to give up even the illusion of them.

Possessive, greedy, and selfish. What more could someone expect from darkness?

Yep, this chapter ended up longer than I originally expected it to be. But I had a lot of stuff to cover in this one. As you probably noticed. I hope that you liked it though.